Apparatuses for controlling rotational movement of vehicle turrets continue to evolve. Armored vehicles, for example, may include a rotatable turret and a weapon mounted to the turret for use in military operations. To assist the turret operator in rotating the turret, a controlled drive system may be installed in the armored vehicle. The drive system may consist of a motor that drives rotation of the turret and a controller that instructs the motor. For example, the controller may instruct the motor to rotate the turret clockwise or counterclockwise depending on input from the turret operator.
Known controllers for vehicle turrets may be adapted to receive input from a variety of input device types. For example, a manual joystick having a magnetic base may be secured to the turret or vehicle to control rotation of the turret. Alternatively, a weapon-mounted input device may allow an operator to control rotation of the turret without removing his hands from the weapon. Each type of input device may provide a particular set of advantages. However, known controllers for vehicle turrets may be designed such that only one input device can be connected to the controller. As a result, operators are limited to choosing one type of input device.
Therefore, a need exists for an apparatus for controlling rotational movement of a vehicle turret in response to input signals generated by multiple input devices.